a) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an automatic tip changer for automatic multipipettors.
b) Description of the Related Art
Automatic multichannel pipettors can be distinguished basically by the way that the pipettes arranged in the pipetting head are connected with the associated pipette tips (tips), i.e., those with a frictional-positive connection and those with a purely frictional connection between the open ends of the pipettes and the receiving openings of the tips.
Of these two groups, the CyBi™-Well 96, CyBi™-Well 384 and CyBi™-Well 1536 automatic pipettors manufactured by CyBio AG belong to the latter. These automatic pipettors have a pipetting head with 96 or 384 pipettes which are arranged in a 8×12 format and 16×24 format, respectively, and whose open ends open into a plane surface oriented perpendicular to the respective pipette axis. A plate-shaped elastomer seal is placed on the plane surfaces of all pipette ends in common and, in accordance with the grid or format of the pipettes, has openings with a diameter equal to the open ends of the pipettes.
In order to connect the pipettes to a tip, a tip magazine (magazine) outfitted with tips is pressed against the elastomer seal. In order to position the receiving openings of the tips relative to the open ends of the pipettes, the loaded magazine is inserted as far as a stop into a sliding guide (magazine frame 35) located at the pipetting head and the magazine frame 35 is then lifted toward the pipetting head, so that the receiving openings of the tips tightly contact the elastomer seal. To remove the magazine, the magazine frame 35 is lowered again, so that the indirect frictional connection between the open end of the pipettes and the receiving openings of the tips is detached. Changing magazines was formerly carried out manually in the CyBi™-Well.
There are also other known automatic multichannel pipettors in which the tips and the magazines outfitted with tips are changed automatically.